G♯ half-diminished chord (G♯m7♭5)

G♯ half-diminished is a 4-note half-diminished chord: G♯ – B – D – F♯. It sounds tense but soft, with a dark color. Here it is on guitar, piano and ukulele, with fingering and audio. Also called A♭ half-diminished (A♭m7♭5).

NotesG♯ – B – D – F♯
Formula1 – ♭3 – ♭5 – ♭7
SymbolG♯m7♭5 · G♯ø · G♯m7b5
EnharmonicA♭ half-diminished (A♭m7♭5)

G♯ half-diminished on guitar

Fret 4 (E shape)
Fret 11 (A shape)

How to place your fingers (fret 4)

Finger 2 (middle finger) on fret 4 of the 6th string (E).
Finger 3 (ring) on fret 4 of the 4th string (D).
Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 4 of the 3rd string (G).
Finger 1 (index) on fret 3 of the 2nd string (B).
Do not play the 5th and 1st strings: strum from the 6th.

The numbers inside the dots are the fingers of your left hand: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring and 4 pinky. The colored dots mark the root (G♯). The other positions let you change chords without jumping along the neck, or give you a higher-pitched sound.

G♯ half-diminished on piano

In root position, play G♯ – B – D – F♯ from bottom to top with fingers 1, 2, 3 and 5 of your right hand. With your left hand you usually play just the root (G♯) or the root and the fifth.

Inversions

First inversion: B – D – F♯ – G♯
Second inversion: D – F♯ – G♯ – B
Third inversion: F♯ – G♯ – B – D

G♯ half-diminished on ukulele

From fret 1
From fret 4

Standard tuning G – C – E – A (the G string is the high one). Is your ukulele in tune? Use the ukulele tuner.

Notes and intervals of G♯ half-diminished

G♯1 · root
B♭3 · minor third
D♭5 · diminished fifth
F♯♭7 · minor seventh

It's the second degree in minor keys (iiø–V7–i), very common in boleros, tango and jazz.

Progressions with G♯m7♭5

ii–V–i in minor: iiø7 – V7 – i

The minor cadence of boleros, tangos and jazz, in F♯ natural minor.

Which keys contain G♯ half-diminished?

G♯m7♭5 belongs to 2 keys: in each one it plays a different role depending on the degree (the Roman numeral).

Key	Degree
A major	viiø7
F♯ natural minor	iiø7

Frequently asked questions

What notes are in the G♯ half-diminished chord?

G♯ half-diminished (G♯m7♭5) has 4 notes: G♯ (root), B (minor third), D (diminished fifth), F♯ (minor seventh).

How do you play G♯ half-diminished on guitar?

The most common shape is at fret 4: 4 x 4 4 3 x (from the 6th to the 1st string). Finger 2 (middle) on fret 4 of the 6th string (E). Finger 3 (ring) on fret 4 of the 4th string (D). Finger 4 (pinky) on fret 4 of the 3rd string (G). Finger 1 (index) on fret 3 of the 2nd string (B). Do not play the 5th or 1st strings: strum from the 6th.

Is G♯m7♭5 the same as A♭m7♭5?

Yes: G♯ half-diminished and A♭ half-diminished sound the same and are played the same way (they are enharmonic). The spelling depends on the song’s key; you will see both names in sheet music and songbooks.

What is the chord symbol for G♯ half-diminished?

It is written G♯m7♭5; you may also see G♯ø or G♯m7b5. Chord symbols use letter names for notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

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